On the surface, entrepreneurship is a glamorous thing. To the untrained eye, it’s an endeavour that gives absolute independence and freedom. Surprisingly though, it’s not all it’s cut out to be. Today, Dawn speaks with a fellow entrepreneur and a powerhouse in her own right - Ally Stone. Ally and Dawn are here to debunk myths and bring light to the misconceptions about entrepreneurialism. Yet all the same, they look back on this crazy path they’ve been on with utmost gratitude. After all, being entrepreneurs helped forge them into the people they are today.  

Kat Halushka lived the days of her youth in Russia yet eventually found her way to Canada. On paper, the concept of immigration is nothing out of the ordinary. However, immigrants like Kat encounter uphill battles in a new world that’s completely unique to them. In today's compelling episode, we have the privilege of hearing from Kat as she candidly recounts the challenges of assimilating into a vastly different culture. She eloquently expresses her deep appreciation for the heartfelt embrace and support extended to her by a warm and inclusive community.

Ron Sutherland is a financial coach and has always been a stickler for preparedness in his line of work and beyond. He has dealt with countless clients and helped them plan when it comes to their money, especially for the unknown time that lies ahead - retirement. Today's episode of The Taylor Way Talks will tackle this time of one's life with hard questions and sobering realizations. Some dread it, some are excited for it yet at the end of the day, we all have to face it and it's better to plan. 

Melanie Verstraete is a woman who’s endured her fair share of hurdles in life, namely involving important relationships. Toxicity always seemed to follow her, whether it was the unfortunate string of stepdads or the unsafe living conditions with her ex-husbands. Until one day, she put her foot down and determined that she was the common denominator in all her misery. 

With that in mind came the start of her journey of self-discovery and self-fulfillment. By putting herself first, she has become a better person and started attracting better people, too. On today’s episode of Taylor Way Talks, we get to know Melanie’s story and how she overcame all of her challenges to rise above as a woman unashamed of who she is.

Don Gleason is a man who knows a thing or two about career changes. He has worked with military personnel and aided them in finding careers in post-military life. As he has witnessed and experienced firsthand, he knows that these transition periods aren't a walk in the park. As part of this episode, he discusses what makes career changes so challenging and what we can do to make the process easier.

We've decided to do something a little different this year: take the summer off! As a team, we feel it's important to take a collective break. We can't wait to have you back with us in September, so make the most of your summer. We hope it's magical and amazing for you. If you're interested in getting updates on what's happening behind the scenes, visit TheTaylorWay.ca and sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media. We'll be returning on September 9th with a discussion on why career changes are so challenging.

Have an amazing summer, you guys.

Always in your corner,

Dawn

Barb Higgins is a woman who has gone through many experiences in life. Yet the entire time, it's always felt like the world was against her. At every turn, she has been called out, sneered at and judged. It seems like the most "criminal" thing she's done in recent memory is to have a baby at 57 years old. Yet, this hasn't deterred her in the slightest. Today on The Taylor Way Talks, we sit down with Barb, a woman who's always marched to the beat of her own drum and someone who encourages others to do the same. 

Jackie Roby is a woman who has blazed her own trail and achieved many things in her life. However, she is not immune to the uncomfortable and unfortunate situations that plague the workplace or the family dinner table. The lingering trauma from these experiences has festered into doubt. Today, she unashamedly shares her story of how she was able to turn things around and overcome it. Doubt is a killer, and today, Jackie and Dawn discuss how to navigate around it and eventually slay it before it slays you.

Nick Klingensmith is a man with an inspirational story. He is someone who's always found himself on the throes of misfortune. One look at his life and you would think "unlucky" is an understatement. He has lived with diabetes, had multiple bouts of cancer, suffered an accident that left him with herniated discs, and lost many of his closest friends as well as his beloved pets. Yet despite all of this, he stands before us today ever persevering. He has chosen to not let these tragedies define him. Today on The Taylor Way Talks, we'll get to know Nick and his mentality against victimhood and how he was able to move forward despite all that’s tried to weigh him down in life. We are so much more than the things that happen to us. 

Caleb Nelson is a man who in one way or another, has always been exposed to cults. Whether it be the church he grew up in or the fitness group he joined, it's always seemed to follow him wherever he'd go. Today on The Taylor Way Talks, he takes these experiences along with Dawn's fascination with cults and brings forth an engaging and hard-hitting conversation about the danger that cults present even as they keep their true nature under wraps. 

Dr. Jody Carrington has seen the scene play out many times in her sit-downs with her clients. They all seek to be happy. After all, who wouldn’t want that for their own lives? However, many people interpret happiness as the only good emotion a person should ever experience. Dr. Jody and Dawn both believe that life is more than just happiness, and it’s the experience of other emotions that make our humanity whole. In today’s episode, they dissect what it truly means to be happy and what difference it has over being satisfied, fulfilled and complete. 

Jo Peters is a woman who wears many hats. She is a coach, speaker, author and TV show host. But most importantly, she is proudly a woman. In all her years of existence and with all the years of experience she's had, she knows that societal expectations are through the roof for her and her fellow women. The game may be rigged but Jo is here to prove that women can make their own rules and forge their path to success. In this episode of The Taylor Way Talks, Dawn discusses with Jo the freedom one can achieve by knowing when enough is enough.

Dawn Taylor has kicked all sorts of ass in her lifetime. She’s beaten death and helped clients all over the world make improvements in their lives in different, meaningful ways. However, this doesn’t mean she’s invincible. She still very much has her own fears, ones that she’s struggled with almost daily. On today’s episode, we are joined by Dawn’s right-hand woman, Jenny Ryce, as the two reminisce about their amazing vacation together. More than just a vacation though for this was where Dawn learned to face her fears and conquer them.

As a father to three kids and a youth coach, Andrew Hovelson takes lifting up the next generation seriously. However, as he’s begun to notice in life, modern-day marvels like technology, social media and current-day philosophy and life lessons seem to be messing up our kids. In this episode, Andrew tells us how he believes we should support today’s youth and give them both the practical skills and the mental fortitude they need to push forward in life. 

Dawn Taylor hosts renowned Canadian painter Giselle Denis on the podcast. They explore Giselle’s career as an artist and how her passion for art combined with hard work and will power gave her the necessary drive to succeed through years of struggle to gain recognition.

For our episode today, we will be talking to Tess Jewell-Larsen. Tess is a woman who was raised with the philosophy of getting as many things done as quickly as possible and “sleeping when you’re dead”. While this is a mentality that would undoubtedly help with productivity, it can also lead to burnout. She shares with us how she ended up on the path to mindfulness and is here to spread the idea that rest does not make us weak, but it’s what we need to make ourselves even stronger

Today on Taylor Way Talks, we get to speak to Paul Young. While the world knows him as the author of the groundbreaking best-seller The Shack, today he gets to talk to us as an MK - missionary kid - born from having a third culture, as well as a man of God who tries his best to make sense of the world. Paul believes that the love of God can come even from one’s darkest moments and in the most thorough processes of deconstruction and today, he gamely shares his revelations with all of us.

Our guest today, Doina Oncel, hasn't lived an easy life. Yet despite all the challenges she has faced from youth to adulthood, she has risen above it all to become a true inspiration. She shares the ups and downs that she’s experienced in life and how it’s helped her in the line of work she does. As she reveals her life story, we’re made aware that the concept of homelessness can affect just about anyone and that we should never stop being grateful for the blessings we receive. Most importantly, she and Dawn come from a place of compassion and encouragement, mutually agreeing that the hand we must always extend to the less fortunate is that of a helping hand. 

2024 is here and it’s now time to close the book on 2023. However, sometimes it can be really overwhelming to start a whole new year. What should we expect? And where do we even start? On this episode of Taylor Way Talks, Dawn shares some practical advice you can apply to your goals, relationships and professional life so that you can make sure your best foot’s always forward for the new year and beyond.

From the outside looking in, Scientology is quite mysterious. It can’t help but pique any outsider’s interest in this mysterious phenomenon. Is it really as bad as the media says it is? For Katherine Spallino, an ex-Scientologist who was indoctrinated into the religion upon birth, the answer is a resounding yes. In this episode, Katherine shares with us what it was really like growing up in the world of Scientology, and how fortunate she is to have escaped, now living a life where she is able to make choices for herself and can truly be free.

Burnout is a thing that happens to all of us and it can happen at any time. A problem we all face is the difficulty that goes into identifying this negativity in our lives. In this episode, Dawn and her guest Ben Kraker discuss the possibilities from wherein burnout could spring from - such as being at work, serving the community or even with the people you’re with at home. From that burnout, Dawn and Ben bring some steps and suggestions to turn it into a place of contentment where we can focus on what matters and be grateful for the things that truly mean the most to us. 

While we’ve seen it portrayed everywhere from movies to TV, the life of a military spouse isn’t exactly as it’s made out to be. However, today’s guest Jenny Ryce is nonetheless thankful for all that’s happened in her life. As a military wife, she shares her story of how she navigated through life and approached it with caution knowing her husband was out in the field protecting their country. She may not have learned to defuse bombs or crawl through landmines, but Jenny’s unique journey to self-discovery and parenthood is both challenging and compelling in its own way. 

Bean Gill suffered an unfortunate predicament where she lost the use of her legs. However, she did not let that stop her from living life her way all while helping the people around her. Today, she is on this episode of Taylor Way Talks to help break stigmas regarding disabled people and dismantle the oppression towards them, whether it’s done purposely or subconsciously. At the end of the day, disabled people are people too, with their own feelings, wants, dreams and motivations and for Bean Gill, it’s high time the rest of the world recognizes that. 

Sam Alexandra Rose’s life was forever changed when she was diagnosed with not one, but three different illnesses. Yet, instead of letting these cancers derail her and take her life on a tailspin, she chose to define her life on her terms. As proud as she is for being a cancer survivor, she is many other things as well, being an accomplished writer, avid charity supporter and a dear friend to those around her. Today, Sam shares her story with Dawn on how she’s learned to not just live alongside her illnesses, but rise above them, too. 

Max Larocque has lived most of his life as a fully-functioning addict. Smoking weed and drinking alcohol are things he’s wrestled with behind closed doors, however he does so without sacrificing his most important priorities, such as work and fitness. However, during a crucial point in his life, Max discovered that as good as he was in hiding things - addiction was still addiction. Today on the podcast, Max bravely opens up about his struggles and shares with us the steps he took, big and small, to lead him to recovery and taking back control of his life. 

Kyle Dube knows a lot about young people from his experience as a father and a man dedicated to helping youths. Unfortunately, his world changed when he lost his youngest son. Today, he opens up about his struggles with handling loss and grief and his passion in urging people, both young and old, to be relentless in their purpose and in being there for the people they love the most.

Chris Boyle’s life is mainly composed of two things - finance and fatherhood. The finance-related aspect is something he does very well, having over a decade’s worth of experience in the field. However, when it comes to fatherhood, Chris admits that he still has a lot to learn and navigate through. Today, Chris bravely reveals everything about being a single dad - the gruelling schedule and work-life balance, the highs and lows, the difficult parts of being a parent and, most importantly, the things he is most thankful and grateful for.

All her life, Christina Monai has found her identity in her wifehood and motherhood. However, her world changed forever when she went through a divorce. Through the trials she went through in this difficult time, she discovered more about herself and her place in the world. Today’s episode of the Taylor Way Talks is a look at the perspective of a single mom and how it’s never too late to find yourself and move on to bigger, better chapters in your life after walking through the fire for the things and people you love the most.

Tim Bartsch is a devout Christian, proud family man and talented music teacher. Today at the Taylor Way Talks, he brings forth a tragic experience in his life involving the loss of his child and how it’s seen from a father’s perspective. He talks about the pain of loss, the complexity of grief, and how even in the face of tragedy, the worst possible moment in his life turned into something that led him closer to both God and members of his family.

As a complement to episode #28, this episode of the Taylor Way Talks deals with alienation from the child’s perspective, showing that when it comes to alienation, things can go either way. Our anonymous guest has endured life with a narcissistic mother who would always do everything in her power to paint her husband in a bad light. Now an adult, our guest tries to come to terms with the lies she’s discovered and the truth she has now grown to accept in her life, She shares all the ups and downs from her perspective.

For today’s episode of Taylor Way Talks, Dawn welcomes an anonymous guest who bravely shares her struggle interacting with a narcissist. However, more than that, our guest had endured a marriage and is now co-parents with this person. Despite everything she has gone through, our guest has come out of the other side more self-aware, knowledgeable, and aware of her identity.

Jill Rempel and her husband had wanted children of their own despite having gone through pregnancy issues and other complications. With that in mind, they decided to adopt, but interestingly they didn’t settle with just one child - but instead, they adopted four! This is adoption from the parent’s perspective, as Jill details her story as a mother to four children that she’s accepted with open arms. It’s no easy feat and it’s been a tough road as a parent, but with the help of some awesome relatives and the power of therapy, Jill is here to tell us about her unique journey of motherhood and how it’s changed her and her husband into more caring and loving people.

At three months old, Reese Rempel was adopted and cared for by loving parents and welcomed into a family. However, being adopted does bring about its own set of differences and complications growing up. Reese had a desire to find out more about the past and with the help of Dawn, they were able to track down the family where Reese came from. If you’re interested in learning more about the ins and outs of an adoptive home as well as finding one’s identity through family, this episode is for you.

Glori Meldrum is in one word - a survivor. She has seen what ugliness the world had to offer and she is not ashamed to admit that it broke her in the worst of times. However, despite the trials that she’s gone through in her life, she refuses to be defined by her brokenness alone and instead finds the beauty in simply being herself and helping others. Enduring both sexual abuse and a bout with cervical cancer, Glori is here to tell her story of how getting in the arena of life and facing all of its challenges head-on is the most enlightening thing that could ever happen to her. 

While many of us are aware of the joy of pregnancy and childbirth, not many are willing to open up about miscarriages, an unfortunate event that can happen. In this episode, Dawn talks to Samantha Foote, a woman who has gone through a miscarriage. Samantha gives us an inside look at how she and her family went through the tragedy, and how she found strength and comfort in the people who were closest to her. Miscarriages are rarely talked about, and this episode is a must-listen for those who want an unfiltered view of the topic.

In this episode, Dawn tackles the topic of grief alongside her close friend Dallas Sleeman. Dallas herself has suffered loss throughout her life, mainly her two best friends before both were in their 40s. She details her grieving process and how she allowed herself to feel the emotions she had to feel in order to ease up the process. Furthermore, they talk about the idea of legacy and how one wishes to be remembered. One of Dallas’ friends Amy had a dream she wanted to achieve that was brought to life even after her passing, showing how important a group of friends and a support system are when it comes to preserving one’s legacy.

Dawn Taylor welcomes her close friend Kiara Brown to the show. Though Kiara is of Jamaican ancestry, she was born and has lived her whole life in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Kiara talks about her struggles as a woman of colour living in a neighbourhood that was predominantly Caucasian. She is constantly asked where she was from by fellow Canadians, and she experiences disbelief when she shares she is a Canadian. Growing up, Kiara was aware of how people of colour were stereotyped, and she shared stories of how this affected her teenage years while navigating through friendships and romantic relationships. 

This week Dawn interviews Dawn? Not precisely, Dawn's guest is Jenny Ryce, who has hijacked the podcast to interview Dawn. The topic covered is about a pivotal time in Dawn's life that continues to have an impact to this day: her brain aneurysm.

Hannah Bailey is Dawn's guest this week, and Hannah is a strong, self-reliant woman who knows what she wants. How did she become embroiled in an extramarital affair that almost triggered a divorce? Hannah lays it all out, the before, during and after, in a raw and authentic fashion.

Dawn talks to her guest Dallas Wiebe this week. He is a dedicated husband, a father, and a talented mechanic who built a successful automotive business. This all changed when his father, while dying, couldn’t stop thinking about work, about being helpful. Dallas became aware that he saw things in his father that he did not want to see in himself. He contacted Dawn to get help with the issue.

Content Warning: Traumatic brain injury, hospitalization, suicidal ideation, depression

In this episode, Dawn talks with police veteran Vic Pipke. Vic had a 21-year career that included a dozen years with SWAT. He was forced to change careers after a life-threatening injury. The resulting changes forced Vic to explore his strengths and core identity, which led him to consider changing his career to finance.

Hello there listeners, as you may have noticed there is no longer an episode here. This podcast is about hard conversations and the one that was posted on Monday was an amazing one but at the request of the guest it has been removed. 

Content Warning: Traumatic injury, hospitalization, grief.

Dawn Taylor welcomes VA and podcast host Janis Melillo to the show to speak on the very moving subject of how to cope with traumatic situations. Janis’ son, Ryan, suffered a potentially life-threatening brain injury and Janis shares her resultant journey as a parent and caregiver.

Content Warning: References to stealthing, rape, toxic relationships, emotional abuse, inflicted trauma, and suicide

Dawn Taylor welcomes Dr. Pamela Larde - professor, author, coach, and host of The Joy Whisperer podcast - to the show to talk about finding joy, especially after divorce. Dr. Pamela shares her own personal experiences that led to the insights in her book.

Content Warning: Discussion of human rights violations, murder, execution, and imprisonment.

Dawn Taylor welcomes Navid, Principal at Aultrust Financial out of Vancouver, to share his lived experiences and knowledge about what is happening in Iran right now. Navid explains a brief history of Iran and how things changed when the regime took power to lend context to the protests and executions happening there now.

Dawn Taylor welcomes CEO and Executive-Producer of Modern Muse Media, Jesse Schewchuk, to the show to talk about what’s never talked about: menopause. Jesse wants to “make the m-word mainstream” and open discussion up so women can find the support they need in menopause.

Dawn Taylor welcomes Jason Tieri, host of Threads Podcast, to the show to dive into why adult friendships are difficult. From childhood trauma blocking adult connections to a lack of properly communicated expectations, Dawn and Jason break down why adult friends are hard to come by. 

Content Warning: Childhood physical, emotional sexual abuse. Childhood neglect and trauma.

Dawn Taylor welcomes Joy Stone, best-selling author and applied positive psychology certified coach, to the podcast to talk about overcoming the past and what it means to not be broken. Joy openly shares her story and the things she has found useful to healing beyond her childhood.

Content Warning: Loss, Cancer, Loss of spouse.

Dawn Taylor welcomes Jason Clawson, therapist and co-founder of Giving Sunshine, to the show to talk intimately about grief. Jason has experienced deep personal grief and he shares what that journey was like, how hard expressing emotion was, and what he needed in a support system.

Dawn Taylor welcomes healer and coach Kim Lyle, owner of Thrive Within, to the show to talk about the massive self-help industry. Kim is not a fan of the pressure the self-help industry brings to life but she and Dawn discuss the good and the bad with raw honesty.

Dawn Taylor invites entrepreneur Greg MacDonald - owner of Jack Rabbit Contracting and co-owner of Align Home Design - onto the show to discuss balancing business, business partners, and having a family. What happens if a business falters or you need to divorce a business partner? 

CW: Spouse with epilepsy / chronic illness and medical emergency

Dawn Taylor invites guest Melissa Miller, a former Certified Nursing Assistant, to the show to talk about her new life now as a stay-at-home mom and full-time caregiver to her husband. Melissa shares the two year journey she’s been on and why she’s passionate about opening discussions on this subject. 

Dawn Taylor invites guest Carling Middlestead, producer and co-host of I Did Not Sign Up For This podcast, onto the show to talk about grief. Specifically they discuss the complicated process of grieving the loss of a parent who wasn’t your superhero, who wasn’t ideal. What is that grief like and how do you navigate it? 

Dawn Taylor invites guest Suzy Alcantara, Registered Massage Therapist and owner of Reveal Wellness Studio, to the show to talk all about money. They discuss earning, blocks in how we view money, how we are formed by what we grew up with, how we work, and musings on the concept of retirement. 

Dawn Taylor and guest Katie Dooley of Paper Lime Creative talk about children in today’s episode. More specifically, they talk about being child-free adults, either by choice or through infertility, and the various judgements they face from society at large over being child-free.

Dawn Taylor welcomes Renee Stribbell to the podcast to shed light on disordered eating, body image, and how food is not the devil. Renee shares her very personal journey through binge eating disorder and how she has worked to overcome her trauma and struggles in order to see food as simply food.

Dawn Taylor welcomes photographer Jessica Hoover to the show to explore what it’s like to quit something and make a major life change. Moving through significant career transitions can incur judgment from yourself and people around you, so Jessica shares her story and advice with Dawn.

Dawn Taylor welcomes Kimberley Valerie to the show to explore how early life trauma created Kimberley’s addiction to over-achieving. Dawn and Kimberley discuss the events, feelings, and deep denial that put Kimberley in a perfect storm of doing too much all the time as a way of coping.

Have you realized yet how little is actually talked about? Truth bomb time! Join Dawn and her guests as they have honest open conversations about the shit we wish we had been told, the things nobody wants to talk about or are too scared to talk about. Feel seen, heard, understood and not alone while learning some hands on strategies for your own life.